Nerve Pain Specialist in Mount Pleasant, SC
Nerve pain can be persistent, unpredictable, and debilitating, often affecting your ability to work, sleep, exercise, and enjoy everyday activities. Whether your symptoms include burning pain, tingling, numbness, electric shock-like sensations, or weakness, an accurate diagnosis is essential to identify the underlying cause and develop an effective treatment plan. Blake Ohlson, M.D. provides comprehensive evaluation and personalized treatment for nerve pain in Mount Pleasant, SC, helping patients manage symptoms and improve their quality of life.
As a board-certified orthopedic and regenerative medicine specialist, Dr. Ohlson carefully evaluates conditions affecting the nerves, muscles, joints, and spine that may contribute to neuropathic pain. Treatment is individualized based on the source of your symptoms and may include medications, physical therapy, regenerative medicine therapies when appropriate, lifestyle modifications, or surgical treatment for conditions involving nerve compression or structural abnormalities. Patients throughout Mount Pleasant, Charleston, Summerville, and surrounding South Carolina communities trust Dr. Ohlson for compassionate, evidence-based orthopedic care.
What is Nerve Pain?
Nerve pain also called neuropathic pain, is pain caused by injury or disease of the sensory nervous system. The sensory nervous system is associated with the senses of pressure, pain, touch, movement, vibration, temperature and position. You may experience a variety of symptoms ranging from pain to numbness in various parts of the body depending on the location of the nerve damage.
Causes of Nerve Pain
Nerve pain can be caused by injury to the central or peripheral nerves.
Central nerve pain: This is caused due to damage to the nerves of the central nervous system by the presence of lesions or diseases such as stroke, spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis.
Peripheral nerve pain: This arises due to dysfunction or injury to the peripheral nerves (nerves that carry senses and motor signals from the brain and spinal cord to the entire body). Diabetes, trauma, vitamin deficiency, kidney disease, certain medications, and alcoholism can cause peripheral nerve pain.
Symptoms of Nerve Pain
Nerve pain can be differentiated from normal pain symptoms as follows:
- The normal symptoms of pain are altered and present as prickling or tingling sensations to a stabbing, shooting or burning pain, similar to an electric shock.
- Allodynia or pain that occurs from a stimulus that does not normally cause pain sensations.
- Hyperalgesia or increased pain caused by a stimulus that usually causes pain.
- Anaesthesia Dolorosa or pain that is felt in a region that is numb.
Neuropathic Pain Conditions
There are several conditions that can lead to nerve pain. Some of the most common include:
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy: This is a common condition if you have diabetes and is characterized by a stabbing or burning pain and numbness in the legs and feet.
Trigeminal neuralgia: This is a frequently occurring condition that arises due to multiple sclerosis or from a tumor compressing the trigeminal nerve, which carries signals of sensation to the face and motor functions such as chewing and biting. Typical symptoms include sudden facial pain lasting for several seconds to minutes and intense burning pain, usually accompanied by involuntary spasms or facial twitches.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: As the name indicates, this type of nerve pain is commonly seen while undergoing chemotherapy, due to sensory nerve damage in the dorsal root of the spinal nerves. Common symptoms include pain and numbness, which may aggravate as the therapy continues.
HIV-associated sensory peripheral neuropathy (HIV-SN): This condition affects HIV patients either due to the attack of the HIV virus on the peripheral nerves or the effect of the medicine, which is neurotoxic. Advancing age, malnutrition, genetics and associated diseases such as diabetes further increase the risk of HIV-SN.
Post-herpetic neuralgia: This condition occurs if you have previously suffered from herpes zoster infection. Reactivation of the herpes zoster virus where it resides in the dorsal root ganglion can lead to pain typically along the spine and around the eyes.
Diagnosis of Nerve Pain
Nerve pain is diagnosed with a detailed review of your medical history and a thorough physical examination. A grading system is used to determine the cause of pain as neuropathic.
What are the treatment options available for Nerve Pain?
Early treatment is important to manage nerve pain as nerve damage is progressive. Nerve damage cannot be cured completely. Treatment is centered around relieving symptoms.
The first line of treatment is to manage your underlying condition such as diabetes and changing medication that may be causing nerve damage. Surgery may be indicated to remove tumors.
Your doctor may prescribe anti-epileptic analgesic drugs, antidepressants, opioids or opioid-like drugs or topical anesthetic and analgesic medications to relieve symptoms. Electrical nerve stimulation such as TENS may be performed to relieve pain.
Alternate treatments such as meditation, acupuncture, hypnosis, and biofeedback may be ordered to help you cope with pain.
Why Choose Dr. Blake Ohlson for Nerve Pain in Mount Pleasant, SC?
Nerve pain often requires a comprehensive evaluation because many different conditions can affect the nervous system. Dr. Blake Ohlson focuses on identifying the underlying cause of your symptoms and creating personalized treatment plans that aim to reduce pain, improve function, and enhance your overall quality of life.
Patients choose Dr. Ohlson because he offers:
- Board-certified expertise in orthopedic surgery and regenerative medicine
- Comprehensive evaluation to determine the source of nerve-related pain
- Personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient's condition and goals
- Conservative treatment options whenever appropriate before considering surgery
- Advanced diagnostic evaluation and evidence-based treatment approaches
- Experience managing neuropathic pain associated with orthopedic conditions, nerve compression, and musculoskeletal injuries
- Comprehensive rehabilitation programs designed to improve mobility and function
- Convenient care for patients throughout Mount Pleasant, Charleston, Summerville, and surrounding South Carolina communities
Dr. Ohlson is committed to helping patients achieve meaningful pain relief while improving strength, mobility, and daily function through individualized orthopedic care.
Nerve Pain FAQs
How is nerve pain diagnosed?
Diagnosis begins with a detailed medical history and physical examination. Depending on your symptoms, additional testing such as imaging studies, nerve conduction studies, electromyography (EMG), or laboratory tests may be recommended to identify the underlying cause.
Can nerve pain be cured?
The ability to cure nerve pain depends on its cause. Some conditions improve once the underlying problem is treated, while others require long-term symptom management. Early diagnosis and treatment often help prevent progression and improve outcomes.
When should I see an orthopedic specialist for nerve pain?
You should seek evaluation if nerve pain persists, worsens over time, interferes with daily activities, causes weakness or numbness, follows an injury, or is associated with difficulty walking or loss of function.
Can lifestyle changes help manage nerve pain?
Yes. Managing chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption may help reduce nerve-related symptoms and improve overall nerve health.
Schedule a Nerve Pain Evaluation in Mount Pleasant, SC
If burning pain, tingling, numbness, or other nerve-related symptoms are affecting your daily life, early evaluation can help identify the cause and guide appropriate treatment. Dr. Blake Ohlson provides comprehensive diagnosis and individualized treatment for nerve pain in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Whether your symptoms are related to nerve compression, injury, neuropathy, or another orthopedic condition, Dr. Ohlson will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan focused on relieving pain, restoring function, and improving your quality of life.
Schedule your appointment with Dr. Blake Ohlson today to receive expert orthopedic care for nerve pain in Mount Pleasant, SC, and take the first step toward lasting relief and improved mobility.